Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 November 2014
430. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he has identified the most pressurised areas of the delivery of health services at present; if he expects to be in a position to address these issues in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43259/14]
View answerSince my appointment as Minister for Health I have said, on more than one occasion that my first priority was to achieve a realistic budget for the health service. I believe that was achieved in Budget 2015, with an increase in the exchequer allocation of €305 million. When taken together with once-off increased projected revenues of some €330 million and savings and efficiencies of €130 million ,the HSE will have over €750 million more to fund services in 2015 that it did when preparing its Service Plan in 2014.
This does not mean that all areas of concern across the health service can be addressed immediately but it does make the funding situation more manageable.
Despite this additional spending power, next year remains a real challenge: our rising and aging population, the increase in chronic conditions with our progress in screening for cancers and chronic diseases means more people requiring treatment driving up demand and costs.
I aim to ensure that the existing level of services is maintained in 2015 and that some targeted enhancements are introduced.
I have already signalled that Programme for Government commitments on the extension of BreastCheck and investment in mental health will be honoured. Extra funding of €25 million will be provided to tackle the issue of delayed discharges, which is having a detrimental knock on effect on waiting times and emergency department overcrowding. In 2015, we will deliver on the first phase of Universal Health Care and some 240,000 children under 6 years and approximately 10,000 seniors over 70 years, who currently neither have a medical card nor a GP visit card will be provided with a GP service without fees.
I want to continue the work of my predecessor Minister Reilly in further developing and building the Hospital Groups by putting in place Boards, CEOs and senior management teams and strategic plans.
I also want to take an active role in promoting healthy living. Changes in lifestyle can prevent many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease. Other priorities for the remainder of the Government term include the following:
1 Stabilise cost of health insurance
2 Reduce cost of medicines
3 Retaining doctors and nurses
4 Five Major Capital Projects
5 Universal Patient Registration.
It is of course of the utmost importance that patient safety remains an overriding priority across the health service and this will be reflected in the 2015 service plan.
